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(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 1. J BAIRD UPRIGHT TUBULAR BOILER.

No. 425,970. Patente d Apr. 22, 1890'.

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co PHOTO'LITM 3 SheetsSheet 3. J. BAIRD. UPRIGHT TUBULAR BOILER.

Patented Apr. 22, 1890.

* *rn STATES JOHN BAIRD, OF NEIV YORK, N. Y.

UPRIGHT TUBULAR BOILER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 425,970, dated April 22, 1890.

Application filed January 28, 1889. Serial No. 297,815. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN BAIRD,1necl1anical engineer, of the city, county, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Upright Tubular Boilers; and I do hereby declare that the following, taken in connection with the drawings, is a full, clear, and exact description thereof.

Figure l is a vertical longitudinal central section through a boiler and its separate fireboX. Fig. 2 is a similar section taken at right angles to that in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a horizontal section through the boiler, taken above the lower tube-sheet. Fig. 4 is a view of the diaphragm-plate. Fig. 5 is a vertical central section through a boiler with the fire-box inclosed in the shell; Fig. 6, a horizontal section through the same about midway between the lower tube-sheet and the diaphragm. Fig. 7 is a plan of a sectional diaphragm-plate. Fig. 8 is a plan of the upper tube-sheet, and Figs. 9, 10, 11, and 12 are respectively a plan, an elevation, a vertical section, and a horizontal section, on a larger scale, of a contrivance for facilitating the separation of steam from the water as the two rise through the diaphragm. Fig. 13 is an elevation, on a larger scale, of one of the vertical tubes of Figs. 1 and 2, showing the preferred form of constructing the same. Fig. 14 is a vertical section through a part of the same tube and its accessories on a still larger scale. Fig. 15 is a plan of the diaphragm-ring. Figs. 16 and 17 are respectively a cross-section through the large diameter of one of the vertical tubes and a cross water-tube ineloscd in the same and an end view of the cross-tube. Figs. 18 and 19 are a cross-section and plan of the preferred mode of connecting the upper small ends of the upright tubes to the upper tubesheet.

The object of the invention is to improve the upright tubular boiler by preserving the same quantity, or nearly so, of heating-surface in the tubes, and at the same time making the same more effective, while likewise providing a large steanrchamber and a compara tively compact mass of water at and about the water-line, the latter feature aiding in keeping the water separated from the steam in the steannchamber, and, so far as I can judge, insuring the presence of a more solid mass of water around the steam-making portion of the upright tubes. The great difficulty attending the use of upright tubular boilers is that the contents appear to be a mass of foam from the bottom nearly to the top; hence it follows that the steam is drawn off mixed with water, that it is difficult to tell the exact water-level, and that dangers arise from overheating of the tubes.

I11 vertical tubular boilers the tubes are usually of the same diameter from end to end and the diameter is small. In my boiler each upright tube is cylindrical but of two diameters, of larger diameter where it passes through the water than where it passes through the steam. Consequently the current of hot gases through the tubes is slower in the lower part thereof. The gases have time to impart their heat to the surrounding water, and some combustion may take place in the tubes where they are of large diameter. In combination with tubes of this character or with conical tubes of larger diameter at the bot-tom, I have applied a diaphragm and circulating-tubes, which further decrease the liability of foaming, and have invented certain new means of constructing the tubes.

In Figs. 1, 2, and 3 the shelle is cylindrical, with a tube-sheet, as usual, at each end; but the fire-box is not within the shell, as usual, but is formed separate, as shown at b. The tube-shcets are secured to the shell in any usual way, and above the upper tube-sheet is the ordinary uptake leading to the chimney.

The firebox may be of any configuration. I prefer to make it rectangular, as shown in the drawings. It is composed of two walls inclosing a water-space, the space within the inner walls being provided with grate-bars, as shown. It is also provided with chargingapertures, as at b b, and an opening to the aslrpit, as at 21 The water is to be fed into the fire-box, and thence may pass into the boiler proper through any suitable connections, by preference as follows; I attach to the rear of the fire-box the open ends of a series of, tubes 12 biand extend these tubes forward over the fire and thence through sleeves secured in the front waterspace. The ends of these tubes project outside of the cradle and are bent upward or at tached to smaller tubes extending upward, and these upper ends are connected to the main shell; hence there is a free passage of water from the rear of the fire-box into the lower part of the boiler proper. As these tubes are attached to one side only of the fire-box and are bent before connecting with the boiler, they may expand and contract considerably without leaking where they are joined to the fire-box, and they will serve not only as a very efiicient heating-surface, but also to a certain extent prevent sudden expansions and contractions of the lower tubesheet. As the fire-box is larger in horizontal area than the boiler-shell, the spaces in the fire-box outside of the shell must be closed with brick-work or tiles, &c. I prefer to injeot the feed-water into the front of the firebox, so that the water will circulate around gfi sides thereof'before entering the tubes The tubes or fiues c are, as before said, of larger bore at bottom than at top, the larger bore lying below the water-line. These tubes may be either in one piece or of two pieces joined or secured together, and their ends may be fitted to the tube-sheets in any usual way. I prefer, however, to construct and fasten these tubes in a special way.

In Fig. 1 L the lower or larger bore of the tube is shown as contracted at its upper end. This may be done by swaging or by screwing a ring into the end of the tube. Into this contracted bore a short tube 0 is screwed, and the upper or smaller portion of c is screwed either to the outside or inside of this short The lower or larger ends of the tubes tube. 0 may be secured to the lower tube-sheets by expanding them or by ferrules or in any usual manner, and I prefer to contract the lower part of these larger ends slightly, as shown in Figs. 1. 2, and 5, so as to insure the presence of a comparatively large body of water immediately above the lower tube-sheet. I prefer to extend the upper ends of these tubes 0 only to the lower side of the upper tube-sheet d. This sheet is to be provided with a threaded aperture for each tube. Into this thread a plug with a hole in it, 6, Figs. 18 and 19, is screwed until the lower face of the plug bears hard upon the end of the tube. A ferrule f is then screwed into the tube, or it may be screwed in before the plug is screwed down, and a nut g is finally screwed upon the upwardprojecting end of the ferrule. The upper ends of the tubes 0 c are thus tightly secured to the upper tube-sheet, and as their lower ends are secured to the lower tube-sheet these two tube-sheets are braced, as usual, by the tubes. I prefer to use this manner of connecting the tubes and upper tube-sheet; but the invention is of course not limited to any such specific construction, nor is such construction claimed herein, as it forms no part of the present invention.

A diaphragm gis secured to the shell. just above the larger part of each of the tubes 0 and below the water-line of the boiler. This plate has orifices in it, one for each tube 0, and I prefer to make the orifices a little larger in diameter than the greatest outside diameter of the tubes 0, so that tubes may be located or withdrawn from the top without disarranging the diaphragm. As this mode of construction would leave a larger space around the smaller part of the tubesc 0 than is necessary to convey the upward current of water and steam, I slip into each orifice rings 70, (see Figs. 14 and 15,) provided with small apertures 7o and as I desire to deflect horizontally or diagonally upward the combined currents of steam and water, so that the former may rise into the steam-space and the latter mingle with the water above the diaphragm, I apply above each ring a deflector Z. (See Figs. 13 and 14:.) I prefer to cast or form both the ring 70 and the deflector Z in one piece with the short tube 0, but may make both or either separate from the tube a, and I intend to use the deflector without the ring in some instances, and both or either in combination with tubes 0, having their larger and smaller diameters connected in other ways than that specially described. i

In order to further insure circulation, I connect tubes m m, open at both ends, with the diaphragm, so that water can pass from the upper side of the diaphragm downward to or nearly to the bottom of the boiler. These tubes m m lie near the shell in the cooler part of the boiler, and their upper openings are so located that they will probably receive solid water, as they are far removed from the uprising currents around the tubes 0.

In Fig. 5 the fire-box is within the shell of the boiler. The upper tube-sheet is removable, and the upper ends of the tubes 0 are connected therewith by two sets of nutsthe one above the other below the tube-sheet. The holes in this upper tube-sheet are of the same bore as the periphery of the tubes 0. The diaphragm is shown as made in sections (see Fig. 7) and has apertures in it only as large as the upper ends of the tubes 0 for their reception, and also other holes an. The uprising currents fiow through these latter holes, and in order to deflect these currents I apply to the holes n n the contrivance shown in Figs. 9, 10, 11, and 12. A short tube 0, open at both ends, is furnished with openings 0' 0. One end of this tube is driven or screwed into one of the holes 12 n. Into the other end is driven or screwed a plug 0 shaped as a pyramid or cone in that part thereof which enters the tube 0. Water and steam fiowing up through the holes 72 n into the tube 0 will thus be deflected over the diaphragm.

When the lower parts of the tubes 0 are of considerable diameter, I propose to increase the heating-surface by inserting crosswise through them short tubes, such as are shown at p, (see specially Figs. 16 and 17,) and I prefer to set these tubes at an angle with the horizon, so as to insure circulation of water through them. These tubes 1.) p are to be screw-threaded at each end and to be polygonal in the whole or part of their bore. They can therefore be readily and securely fastened in the tubes c by inserting a corresponding polygonal tool in the bore and then turning it, and consequently the tube.

The deflecting contrivances and also the diaphragm may be dispensed with; but I think that the boiler will be better when both are used.

I do not claim a vertical boiler provided with conical tubes larger at the bottom than the top, as shown in the patent to Le Grand, No. 93,725, but intend to employ such tubes in combination with other parts of my invention as substitutes for my preferred form of tubes.

I claim as of my own invention 1. Upright tubes used in a vertical-tube boiler, substantially as described, when said tubes are of smaller diameter at top than in their lower parts, and are contracted where they are secured to the lower tube-sheet, all substantially as specified.

2. In combination with vertical tubes of larger diameter at bottom than at top, as specified, a diaphragm arranged above that portion of the tubes which is of the largest bore, as set forth.

3. In combination with a shell provided with vertical tubes, as described, and a diaphragm arranged in relation thereto, as described, deflectors applied above the diaphragm to deflect the currents of steam and water flowing upward through the diaphragm.

4. The special combination of a large tube with a smaller one by means of a short tube having made in one piece with it a deflector, all as shown and described.

5. In combination with a vertical tube boiler, a series of water-heating tubes located in the fire-box below the lower tube-sheet and above the grate-bars and connected at one end directly with the back head, passing through sleeves at the front end of the firebox and connected by small pipes with the lower end or water-space of the boiler-shell, substantially as described.

(3. The combination,with vertical tubes for conveying products of combustion arranged in a shell, of cross-tubes screw-threaded at their ends and having polygonal bores, whereby said tubes may be easily and firmly secured, as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name.

JOHN BAIRD. lVitnesses:

EDWARD O. DAVIDSON, M. J. KELLEY. 

